Harnessing Microbial Ecology for the Inhibition of Opportunistic Pathogens in Premise Plumbing

主要研究者：Amy Pruden提案编号：CBET-1033498机构：弗吉尼亚州技术标题：利用微生物生态学抑制居住在房屋中的病原体（即，建筑）管道;如嗜肺军团菌、鸟分枝杆菌、多食阿米巴和绿脓杆菌，现在是发达国家水传播疾病的主要原因。 由于这些病原体在房屋管道系统内繁殖，而不是从处理厂散发出来，因此需要改变模式以减轻这种威胁。 具体来说，PI认为微生物在房屋管道系统中是不可避免的，它们的活动可能是有益的。 一种变革性的研究方法将调查利用微生物生态来抑制病原体增殖的可行性。 总体假设是，将有益微生物接种到房屋管道系统中可以抑制机会致病菌建立和生长的能力。 此外，水处理和分配系统材料自然产生的接种物是不断引入到前提管道系统，以及如何这些因素的基本理解？选择？因为有益的生物体可以被水务公司和监管机构利用来预防水传播疾病。 本研究的具体目标是：1）表征水处理，自来水总管材料和配水系统操作之间的相互作用，以选择具有抑制房屋管道系统中条件致病菌生长潜力的微生物群落;（二）量化这些选择剂在房屋管道系统中可能遇到的再生潜力极端情况下减轻病原体生长的程度通过开发和应用病原体再生长潜力分析; 3）进行实地调查，将建筑物入口处的微生物生态与营养水平、先前的水处理和分配系统材料联系起来，并验证微生物生态与病原体再生长潜力之间的关系。 预计各种管道材料、可同化有机碳浓度、消毒剂残留物和水龄将选择不同的微生物，这些微生物在其固有能力方面不同，以抑制或扩增前提管道系统内的机会性病原体。 此外，在水处理和分配过程中选择有益接种物的统一因素将被确定，并与该领域的实际发病率相关。PI认为，所提出的益生菌概念从未被应用于控制管道系统中的病原体，尽管它已在医学和腐蚀研究中得到证实。 此外，将水处理厂和分配系统视为具有理想特性的微生物生态学的选择器，这是建立在废水处理领域中类似方法的成功基础上的，同时也是实际可实施的。 实验设计提供了一个全面的了解化学和微生物因素驱动的前提管道，这是至关重要的合理发展未来的缓解策略的机会致病菌的扩散。 其他学科预计将受到影响，生物膜和病原体生态学，特别是。这项研究将有利于社会解决水传播疾病在发达国家的主要来源，并通过帮助澄清相对的作用/责任的公用事业与个人在管理病原体的增长。 拟议的机会致病菌再生长潜力分析代表了一个实际的结果与应用超出了拟议的工作范围，因为它可以应用于比较病原体？再生潜力？各种各样的沃茨。 这些结果还有望解释，即使在同一个城市，来自前提管道病原体的水传播疾病的可能性如何因社区而异，作为与不同管道材料相关的水龄，氯胺残留和微生物生态的函数。 两名研究生研究助理将得到该项目的支持，并将为雷乌斯寻求补充资金。 此外，还将开发实践活动并提供给高中夏令营（例如，CTech 2和NASA INSPIRE），特别注重招募妇女进入STEM领域。 PI还将通过NTMir，Inc.，与美国环境保护署的科学家合作，并与Blacksburg和Pinellas Country合作，支持对真实的分销系统中病原体再生长潜力的评估。

PI: Amy PrudenProposal Number: CBET-1033498Institution: Virginia TechTitle: Harnessing Microbial Ecology for the Inhibition of Opportunistic Pathogens in Premise PlumbingOpportunistic pathogens residing in premise (i.e., building) plumbing; such as Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium, Acanthamoeba polyphaga, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are now the leading cause of waterborne disease in developed countries. Because these pathogens multiply within premise plumbing systems, rather than emanate from treatment plants, a paradigm shift is required to mitigate this threat. Specifically, the PIs maintain that microbes are unavoidable in premise plumbing systems and their activity can be beneficial. A transformative research approach will investigate the feasibility of harnessing microbial ecology to inhibit pathogen proliferation. The overarching hypothesis is that inoculation of beneficial microbes into premise plumbing systems can serve to inhibit the ability of opportunistic pathogens to establish and grow. Moreover, water treatments and distribution system materials naturally generate the inoculum that is continually introduced into premise plumbing systems, and a fundamental understanding of how these factors can ?select? for beneficial organisms could be exploited by water utilities and regulators to prevent waterborne disease. The specific objectives of this research are to: 1) Characterize the interplay between water treatment, water main pipe material, and water distribution system operation in selecting microbial communities with potential to inhibit growth of opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing systems; 2) Quantify the extent to which these selectors can mitigate pathogen growth under extremes of regrowth potential that may be encountered in premise plumbing systems through development and application of a pathogen regrowth potential assay; and 3) Conduct a field survey linking microbial ecology at the point of entry of buildings to nutrient levels, prior water treatments and distribution system materials, and verify relationships between microbial ecology and pathogen regrowth potential. It is expected that various pipe materials, assimilable organic carbon concentrations, disinfectant residuals, and water ages will select for distinct microbes that vary in their inherent capabilities to inhibit or amplify opportunistic pathogens within premise plumbing systems. Furthermore, unifying factors that select for beneficial inocula during water treatment and distribution will be identified and related to actual incidence of disease in the field.The PIs believe that the probiotic concept proposed has never been applied to control of pathogens in plumbing systems, though it has been demonstrated in medical and corrosion studies. Furthermore, viewing water treatment plants and distribution systems as selectors of microbial ecology with desirable traits builds on the success of similar approaches in the wastewater treatment realm, while also being practically implementable. The experimental design provides a holistic understanding of chemical and microbiological factors driving the proliferation of opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing, which is vital for rational development of future mitigation strategies. Other disciplines are anticipated to be impacted, biofilm and pathogen ecology, in particular.This study will benefit society by addressing the leading source of waterborne disease in developed countries and by helping to clarify the relative roles/responsibilities of utilities versus individuals in managing pathogen growth. The proposed opportunistic pathogen regrowth potential assay represents a practical outcome with applications beyond the scope of the proposed work, as it can be applied to compare the pathogen ?regrowth potential? of various waters. The results are also expected to explain how the likelihood of waterborne disease from premise plumbing pathogens varies from neighborhood to neighborhood even in the same city, as a function of water age, chloramines residual and microbial ecologies associated with different pipe materials. Two graduate research assistants will be supported by the project and supplemental funds will be sought for REUs. Additionally, hands-on activities will be developed and delivered to high school summer camps (e.g., CTech2 and NASA INSPIRE), with a particular focus on recruiting of women into STEM fields. The PIs will also engage in outreach to communities and individuals who have been directly impacted by opportunistic pathogens through NTMir, Inc., collaborate with scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and support evaluations of pathogen regrowth potential in real distribution systems in partnership with Blacksburg and Pinellas Country.